Cosmic Collaboration
- Rev Muriel Pearson
- May 8
- 4 min read
On Wednesday I attended an extraordinary and sweet event at the Sindyanna of the Galilee Visitors’ Centre. Twelve women who have learned beekeeping from legendry bee keeper and community activist Yossi Aud were meeting for the final session of their beekeeping course. The course was facilitated by Sindyanna of the Galilee and MA’AN Workers Association.
After a delicious lunch, the group were presented with their certificates. What a joyful occasion it was! And deep. The twelve women, half the group Arab Israeli, the other Jewish Israeli obviously have such deep affection for one another, and trust. There was a lot of laughter. In desperate times, when Israeli society is so polarized and trust is non-existent it felt healing to be with these women.
The group sat in a circle and I noticed the ebb and flow of movement between Arabs and Jews. Bridges had clearly been built. The women took turns to explain what becoming a beekeeper and spending time with the bees means to her. One Arab woman said that the bees helped her love her house again and gain confidence and energy. Another speaker said, ‘The bees saved my life.’
The Bees for Peace group is for women only, although some men are saying they want to join. Many of the women have very low levels of education and poor self confidence, and a mixed group would add an unnecessary complexity. One Arab woman said that her husband has been telling his friends that he is the beekeeper, despite having been very sceptical of his wife being part of the group in the beginning.
One woman receiving her certificate was giving great ululations of joy. Someone explained to me that this was the first time in her life she’d ever received a certificate for anything.
Another woman told how she was previously afraid of bees and didn’t think she’d be able to come close, but now she is not afraid and has gained confidence in her life.
Before a practical session at the Bees for Peace, there are several sessions learning about the bees’ life cycle and the close encounter with the natural world and the social organization of the bees is obviously transformative. The women were awestruck to be at the Bee Freedom farm as a swarm took place. In her article about the project, Roni Ben Efrat of MA’AN Workers Association described it as a cosmic experience to be present when the bees swarm. https://wac-maan.org.il/bees-for-peace-11/
Yossi Aud, the course teacher, clearly loves what he does; and is loved by the women. Over lunch he explained that he has discovered that overcoming fear in one area of life (in this case, of stinging insects) leads to the possibility of overcoming other fears and developing trusting relationships where before there was deep mistrust. His Bees for Peace website says:
‘The “Bees for peace” project is aimed to teach us about the bees’ harmonious and wondrous way of living, and to inspire us to adopt their approach and behavioural patterns into our own life. Anyone who comes in contact with the bee is charmed.
The bees produce abundance and healing in the world and all their products are products of health and medicine.
This great ability is enabled thanks to the bees’ perfect cooperation, which creates harmony amongst themselves and their surroundings. When people learn to work for the bees’ welfare, much sensitivity and gentleness is developed, and that could translate into our daily life. In this way the bees teach us to act for society, to live in co-existence, let go of stigmas, and help us get closer to ourselves, others, the land and the world.[1]
One Israeli woman said that she had many times before been a member of a dialogue group with Arab Israelis, but that this experience was different. The women were learning new skills and information together. They were overcoming their fear of bees and at the same time of one another. This experience went ‘deep’ very quickly and strong bonds of love and trust have formed. One Israeli women described how when her queen bee died ( a disaster for the hive) the rest of the group rallied round and supported her until the dilemma was solved.
As the group circled and intermingled and chatted and ate and laughed it was not difficult to imagine the activity in a hive of healthy bees where the social unit is united in its purpose.
We have heard concern, even alarm, over a number of years about bees failing to thrive, and how disastrous this is for human flourishing because the bees pollinate fruit and other food stuffs. How brilliant that this project, which now has over 300 women in honey production, is both helping and sustaining life on earth and renewing and repairing relationships which going forward will be vital in rebuilding a society which is just and equitable and where people can live without fear.
As he watched his latest group of graduate beekeepers mingle and chat and engage with one another, Yossi sat quietly smiling. He himself obviously gets great satisfaction from the project and so he should: such simple and yet complex engagement both with the bees and with the women give hope. Fears can be overcome. People can come together and collaborate. Peace with justice is possible.
